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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 167 / Wednesday, September 1, 2021 / Proposed Rules
The CA IOUs commented that annual energy calculations based on a fixed amount of clothing washed would contradict the test procedure that acknowledges that clothes washers of different sizes wash different amounts of clothing, as identified in LUFs and test load sizes. CA IOUs, No. 8 at pp.
1112 The CA IOUs further recommended that DOE investigate whether the fixed number of cycles per year should be changed to be more representative of average use in larger households, since larger households tend to have larger-capacity clothes washers, and larger-capacity clothes washers run more cycles per year, as detailed in Table HC3.4 and Figure 3.9
of the 2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey RECS data. Id.
The CA IOUs also recommended that if DOE changes the annual energy calculation from a fixed number of annual wash cycles to a fixed amount of clothing washed, this change should also be reflected in the rest of the test procedure to capture any operational difference by capacity. CA IOUs, No. 8
at p. 12
Notwithstanding the potential limitations of DOEs current approach of calculating annual energy consumption, as described previously, in the absence of any new nationally representative data showing either a constant annual weight of washed laundry, or a correlation between clothes washer capacity and annual weight of washed laundry, DOE is not proposing to change the methodology for calculating annual energy use. DOE could, however, consider such a change should additional data or information become available, as previously described.
DOE requests data on the annual amount of laundry washed by consumers, and whether the annual amount of laundry washed by consumers is correlated with clothes washer capacity.

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4. Representation Requirements Representation requirements for RCWs and CCWs are codified at 10 CFR
429.20a and 10 CFR 429.46a, respectively.
DOE is proposing to specify that the sampling requirements for RCWs specified at 10 CFR 429.20a2ii would also apply to the new proposed EER and WER metrics. DOE is proposing to clarify that the capacity specified in 10 CFR 429.20a3 is the clothes container capacity emphasis added.
DOE is proposing to specify that the sampling requirements specified for CCWs at 10 CFR 429.46a2ii would
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also apply to the new proposed AEER
and WER metrics.
DOE requests comment on its proposed updated representation and sampling requirements for RCWs and CCWs.
F. Cleaning Performance EPCA requires DOE to consider any lessening of the utility or the performance of the covered products and certain commercial equipment, including CCWs likely to result from the imposition of potential new or amended standards. 42 U.S.C.
6295o2BiIV; 42 U.S.C. 6316a EPCA prohibits DOE from prescribing an amended or new standard if the Secretary finds that interested persons have established by a preponderance of the evidence that the standard is likely to result in the unavailability in the United States in any covered product type or class of performance characteristics including reliability, features, sizes, capacities, and volumes that are substantially the same as those generally available in the United States at the time of the Secretarys finding. 42
U.S.C. 6295o4 56
EPCA authorizes DOE to design test procedures that measure energy efficiency, energy use, water use in the case of showerheads, faucets, water closets and urinals, or estimated annual operating cost of a covered product during a representative average use cycle or period of use. 42 U.S.C.
6293b3 DOE regulates only the energy and water efficiency of clothes washers. Manufacturers may design their products to prioritize any of the other consumer-relevant performance characteristics, including cleaning performance. As such, DOEs clothes washer test procedures do not prescribe a method for testing clothes washer cleaning performance.
Samsung commented that a product should perform at least its basic cleaning function during the energy test cycle so that consumers can purchase products that perform their basic function effectively, while saving energy and water. Samsung, No. 6 at p. 2
Samsung added that unless clothes washers perform at a minimum level of acceptable functionality on the Normal cycle, consumers may use other energyor water-intensive modes and unknowingly sacrifice energy efficiency.
Id. To ensure products perform their basic functionality, Samsung recommended that DOE incorporate by reference the ENERGY STAR Test Method for Determining Residential 56 The unavailability provision is applicable to CCWs under 42 U.S.C. 6316a.

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Clothes Washer Cleaning Performance 57 as a new appendix to the test procedure. Id.
Electrolux encouraged DOE to introduce an independent cleaning and rinsing performance test into the energy test procedure, because Electrolux is concerned that as more cycles become available to consumers, they are less likely to select the more efficient energy test cycle due to performance concerns.
Electrolux, No. 11 at p. 2 Electrolux added that tying performance testing to the energy test cycle could give consumers visibility into the tradeoff between efficiency and cleaning/rinsing performance, and place the energy test cycle as a more prominent cycle that is efficient and has high cleaning performance. Id. Electrolux stated that if DOE were to add a new cleaning and rinsing test, it should be developed based on proven industry standards in use, such as IEC 60456, AHAM HLW
12013, Performance Evaluation Procedures for Household Clothes Washers AHAM HLW12013, or AS/NZS 2040.1:2005, Performance of household electrical appliances Clothes washing machines Methods for measuring performance, energy and water consumption AS/NZS
2040.1:2005. Id. Electrolux stated that these industry cleaning standards do not have the repeatability and reproducibility required for establishing limits or boundaries, but Electrolux supported their use for reporting and comparison purposes. Id. According to Electrolux, adding new cleaning and rinsing metrics would not significantly increase testing burden because manufacturers already extensively perform cleaning and rinsing testing on the energy test cycle. Id. Electrolux suggested the following specific testing criteria: 1 Incorporate by reference cleaning and rinsing performance test procedures; 2 test the same machines used for energy testing; 3 test the energy test cycle and settings used for the energy testing; 4 test with a load size based on DOE average capacity and using load types defined in the cleaning standard; 5 limit load sizes to one or two; 6 limit wash and rinse temperature combinations to those that differentiate performance the most, such as one cold, one hot, and one warmest warm; 7 weight multiple tests using TUFs from Appendix J2; and 8 average 57 The ENERGY STAR Test Method for Determining Residential Clothes Washer Cleaning Performance is available at www.energystar.gov/
sites/default/files/asset/document/
Test%20Method%20for%20Determining%
20Residential%20Clothes%20Washer%
20Cleaning%20Performance%20%20July%202018_0.pdf.

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